Restaurant Review: Mount Cafe

After a brief holiday from sunny Eastwood, yours truly returned to Extra Towers with a renewed appetite for all the latest news, goings on and — let’s face it — an ever-increasing list of restaurants to try out.

This week’s foodie slot may not be news to those of you who live in Giffnock — but for a first week back, a certain shoebox-sized restaurant serving Indian and Nepalese fare was just the ticket to ease me back in.

The Other Half is used to be dragged around Whole Foods against his will, so driving past the market car park and heading across the road to Mount Cafe must have been a relief for him.

There, we discovered a tiny restaurant already bustling for a Tuesday night; bijoux yet stylish, with friendly service from the start.

We skipped starters and opted for more of an all-at-once feast — clinging to that holiday feeling maybe? — with a curry each, garlic naan, Mount special rice and chatpate bhuja.

The last bit, in case you’re wondering, is a traditional Nepalese snack not unlike India’s bhel puri; crunchy bombay mix crackers and puffed rice elevated by diced onion and coriander.

Think of it as a crispy salsa and you’re halfway there — and maybe save some poppadom to scoop it up, because it’s worth ordering for a taste of something new.

The special rice must be designed to make you feel less guilty about all that indulgence; mixed with sliced green beans, mushroom, sweetcorn and who knows what else, it has to be packing a fair few of your five a day (take that Whole Foods).

It was a nice touch, and paired with a delightfully fluffy, herb-laced garlic naan, was the ideal accompaniment to the the main curry events.

The menu is full of old favourites, but we were drawn in by a section of Nepalese specials we weren’t quite able to pronounce.

The OH opted for bhote masala with lamb; a rich, Himalayan-spiced gravy clinging to fall-apart meat.

The man enjoys his curries, and this one received two thumbs up (in between shovelling mouthfuls in, that is).

My jeera lasooni was a more delicate affair; perfect considering I ordered it with fish (who knows what kind, other than white — but then I’m not exactly 
fussy).

The menu describes it simply as a home style sauce with garlic and cumin — both powerful flavours, but each was balanced perfectly with ultra soft, flaky fish.

If you shy away from curries that hit you in the face then jeera lasooni is the one for you — more of a polite handshake and head nod than a full-on assault of the senses.

Would I go back to Mount Cafe for another taste of Nepal? In a heartbeat — in fact, do they deliver as far as Extra Towers?

THE BILL:

Chatpate Bhuja - £2.95

Bhote Masala with lamb - £9.95

Jeera Lasooni with fish - £10.95

Garlic naan - £2.45

Mount special rice - £3.24

TOTAL (without drinks): £29.95

{http://www.mountcafe.uk|Mount Cafe)

2 Burnfield Rd

Giffnock

G46 7QB

0141 638 7330